Lobster Recipes, Cooking Instruction

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scubastew

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Just tried to move the "lobster recipes" section of a previous post to a new thread.

Do you have a good lobster recipe? hints on cooking?


>>Start former post: here
ScubaNorth
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http://www.sport.state.ma.us

For $2.00 more you can skip the Boston parking and get a license here. They have a link to all the rules and regs.

15 bugs a day.
3 1/4 inches to 5 inches. eye socket to end of carapace in the Gulf of Maine (north side of the Cape to NH.)
No V-Notch of any size and as silly as it sounds shape. This is the new Zero tolerence policy.
Your Permit Numbers must be displayed and this one is always up for grabs. I have mine on a plackard for more than one diver and on the stripe of my flag for when it is just me. Size and shape and all that is really up in the air but commonsense usually will keep you on the right side of the law.
No parts or pieces may be taken even if the lobster gives them up to you willingly.
No eggers-don't worry you'll know em when you see em.
Cooking time 18 minutes for the first pound and go say another 5 minutes each pound after that.
Butter is allowed to be salted or unsalted, the regulations are very clear on this.
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ScubaNorth

>>scubastew<<

More on cooking: STEAM'M!!! Definitely steam your catch in ocean (salt) water!! bring a 20-30oz water bottle fill it up with sea water after your dive. That should be enoung to give you a good inch and a half in the bottom of the pot. That'll be all you should need to get the steam on!!

Speacil Note: Read and Follow all the Rules the best you can!! you'll only hurt yourself and loose the trust of others by breaking the rules. just NOT worth it for a few pounds of lobster meat!

FYI: it's cheaper to just go the the grocery store and buy the lobsters, ask anyone. Boat (optional): $20,000 (and up),
Dive Equipement: $1500-$3000 (and up),
Dive Training: 3$00 (and up)
License $42.00
Parking, Gas & Airfills: $30-40

One Bug: $13.99 at the supermarket


>>Chebby<<

Ocean water? Why? It's got bacteria and stuff...why not just use ocean salt and tap water?

I really don't know anything about steaming though. My wife wants to buy one and she showed me something but it doesn't seem like any good size lobster would fit into that thing. Any suggestions?

Chebby

>>scubastew<<

Sea Salt in tap water is okay too, but boiling the sea water will kill any small amounts of bacteria in it. I have even heard of folks steaming the lobster on a bed of seaweed.

I just use a regular pot dump the seawater in (about an inch to an inch and one half and after a good boil toss the little buggers in, close the lid for 15-20 minutes (depending on size and amount).

I have used a steam tray before but thats optional and really doesn make that much of a difference. The steam tray thingy looks like a UFO with a domed top with a bunch of holes in it with four legs (landing gear) when closed. It opens to fan out and keep the item you are steaming from boiling in the hot water. It's like 5.99 or something...

I'd love to learn the diferent ways/techniques folks cook the buggers though.
 
Butter! Lots of butter!

The other most important tip for a 1 lb lobster:

Do not boil the whole lobster for more than 3 minutes! A 2 lb can go for up to 5 minutes. Doing so for any longer just makes the meat tough and rubbery.

Save the bodies and shells to make lobster sauce. It involves, white wine, vermouth, tomato paste, carrots, celery, onions, thyme, bay leaves and lots of cream.
 
Chebby:
Ocean water? Why? It's got bacteria and stuff...
I doubt a lobster's going to get any bacterial infections from steaming in sea water that he wouldn't have gotten from living in it.

Personally, I just boil them, but given the opportunity I like to do a hot coal bed on the beach with a layer of seaweed over them. Put the lobster (and some clams) on the seaweed, cover with some more seaweed, and let it steam. Mmmmm.
 
Ever wonder why your lobsters aren't quite as bright red as the "pros"?
Add a blurp of red wine vinegar to the water before steaming/boiling. It will give them the bright red color and adds to the flavor.

This one seems self-explanatory but I still see it happen. Do not boil the bugs with the bands on. Have you ever seen a recipe for seafood that includes the line: "Add one handful of rubber bands to the pot. Colored bands if possible "? I haven't :) After two summers as first mate on a schooner in Maine while serving 20-30 lobsters a week, I can tell the difference.
 
Boiling them in sea water makes sense. Steaming them in sea water doesn't, as the salt and other junk that provides flavor is just going to sit at the bottom of the pot while the water evaporates and does the cooking.

Boiling for only 3 minutes sounds like a good way to get food poisoning.

I usually steam for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster. Steaming makes the meat a bit more tender and tolerant to a bit of overcooking vs boiling.
 
Soggy:
....

Boiling for only 3 minutes sounds like a good way to get food poisoning.

I usually steam for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster. Steaming makes the meat a bit more tender and tolerant to a bit of overcooking vs boiling.

I boil a "usual" size lobster (1.25 lbs for example) for about 10 minutes. The color of the shell is important to help determine how well cooked they are. 3 minutes would not be nearly enough time to cook a lobster.

If you buy them (or band them) DEFINITELY remove the rubber bands. I also suggest you use spring water rather than tap water. If you can taste a difference when you drink it you can tell the difference in the taste of the lobster as well.

--Matt
 
Well cook it to your taste. Some people like eating steak cooked well done, don't like their egg yolks anyway but hard and would never think of eating an oyster raw - not me.

If you are really concerned with about the bacteria then pull them from the boiling water - wait 5 minutes and then put a cooking thermometer in the thickest part of the tail. If it reads 160 degrees then you have cooked it to medium well.

If you cook them for 3 minutes and then pull them allowing them to "rest" for five minutes (as you should do for any piece of meat) then cooking process will carry over and continue. Generally what will happen is that the lobster will cook to about 130 - 140 degrees and then carry over to 145 - 150 F. What you get is a medium rare lobster whose flesh is still moist and tender. If you go to any really fine restaurant (I'm talking $100 per person or more) this is very likely how it will be cooked.

But as I say - cook it to your taste. Hey did I mention that I ate really great sushi for lunch today?
 
MSilvia:
I doubt a lobster's going to get any bacterial infections from steaming in sea water that he wouldn't have gotten from living in it.
Bacteria is killed by boiling. Steam comes from boiling water. If someone is that concerned with bacteria then boil or steam them in distilled water with a bunch of sea salt added for flavor. :D

The general rule of thumb is that if you cook something to 160 F. or higher you will kill all bacteria that can harm you outside of botulism. When cooking fresh ingredients you don't need to worry about botulism. These days they are even saying that you don't need to cook pork to 160 F. as they have virtually eradicated trichinosis. For some years health authorities have warned about eating warm water raw fresh predatory fish such as tuna and swordfish. It should be flash frozen first to kill the anisakis parasite. If you eat tuna sashimi in a restaurant, this is the way the fish is processed.
 
Scubar:
Has anyone cooked them on a grill?

I have - I boiled them for about 3 minutes (heh, heh...seriously), then took off the tail and split it centrally and removed the claw meat...then brushed them with butter...grilled for a few minutes...yum.
 

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